Back In Time

Back In Time: Chapter Fifteen

EDITED: Chapter Fifteen: 

My nerves were ragged, I was rundown, and I was beyond terrified.  What if this didn’t work?  What if I hadn’t made the right choice?  What if this was where I belonged and I didn’t realize it until I was already back in my own year? 

Everything happens for a reason, right?  Gulping, I continued down the corridor, jumping at every moving shadow and noise. 

I felt as though something terrible would go wrong.

“Get it together, woman!” I growled to myself, feeling like a child.  I was nearly an adult, I needed to start behaving like one!  If something went wrong, then I’d just take it in stride and find a solution. 

I paced in front of the Room of Requirement, wondering if the Marauders were already present.  I hoped that they were, but when I opened the door, I was disappointed.  Nobody occupied the room, I was the only living creature here.  Sitting on the couch, I waited patiently for someone, anyone, to come through the door to keep me company.

After ten minutes, Severus Snape strolled through, looking for all the world like a boy about to lose his best friend.  Was that how he felt?

“You’re already here?  How long have you been sitting there?”

His voice was concerned, as if he didn’t like the fact that I was alone for any amount of time, but I just smiled and waved my hand as if to dismiss his questions. 

“Only a few minutes Sev.  I was nervous so I came a bit early.”

Sev nodded, sitting next to me silently.  I realized that I never gave Peter a definite time to come, I just said to come at night. 

I mentally face-palmed myself for making such a huge mistake, but quickly pushed the thought to the back of my mind.  I’d wait.  It was worth it.

One hour.

Two.

As the third hour went by, it was obvious that my father was becoming impatiently, sighing every so often and tapping his feet.  I doubt that he would wait any longer.  But this had to be done tonight, tomorrow everyone would all board the train and head back to Kings Cross Station.

Sighing I stood up and walked to the center of the room.

“I guess they’re not coming.  Might as well get this over with.”

The moment those words left my mouth the door burst open and Peter Pettigrew ran in, quickly followed by Remus Lupin, James Potter and last but certainly not least, Sirius Black, who looked as if he hadn’t slept in days.

“You came.”

They apparently hadn’t noticed Severus and I, and jumped out of their skin when they heard my voice. 

“I told you I would have them come, Spencer.”

“Thanks for keeping your word.”  I nodded, once again on the verge of crying.  My eyelids burned with the repressed tears, but I blinked them back, not willing to let them passed the barrier. 

“I needed to tell you all something important.  First, I need you to promise that you wont interrupt, that you’ll keep an open mind, and that you’ll forgive me.”

“I promise!”  Peter was the first one to agree, looking like a child who promised to behave if he could have a cookie.  He was practically jumping up and down in excitement, and I couldn’t help but to grin at him.

“I promise.”  The next was Remus Lupin, who crossed the feet that distanced us and enveloped me in a hug, forcing me to choke on a whole new wave of tears.